Improved fire-kindling composition



NITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ MATTHIAS CARSTENS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVED FIRE-KINDLING COMPOSITION.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,270, dated March 20, 1866.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, MATTHIAS CARSTENS, of the city and State of New York, have invented and made a certain new and Improved Fire-Kindling Composition; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the said composition and its mode of preparation.

I make use of cotton or similar fibrous material, in loose flocks or bats, and I place the same in pans that are greased with tallow or fatty material. I sift or sprinkle upon such cotton or fiber pulverized charcoal and rosin, and heat the same sufficiently to cause the rosin to adhere to the fiber and to the pulverized charcoal, thereby causing such fiber and the pulverized charcoal and rosin to adhere together, and the cotton to absorb the grease from the pans. The special objects of the grease is to prevent the fiber or rosin adhering to the heated pans, and at the same time to increase the combustible properties of the cotton.

I find that for every one hundred pounds of fiber about twenty-five pounds of pulverized charcoal, about two hundred pounds of rosin, and about fifty pounds of tallow, applied as aforesaid, make a compound especially adapted to kindling wood, charcoal, and soft coals.

This composition for kindling fires is light, easily separated, can be applied in stoves or grates, and is easily ignited, and is efficient. This fire-kindling composition is very cheap, because only a small quantity is sufficient for igniting a fire.

\Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The fire-kindling composition prepared of the ingredients and substantially as specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 18th day of January, A. D.1866.

MATTHS. UARSTENS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE D. WALKER, GHAs. H. SMITH. 

